History of Freeport Told Through Vintage Photographs

April 18, 2012 - PRLog -- The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of America series is Freeport from local authors Cynthia J. Kreig and Regina G. Feeney. The book boasts more than 200 vintage photographs and memories of days gone by.

Founded in the mid-1650s, Freeport was originally a hamlet of farmers and baymen and was famous for its oysters. In the late 1880s, developers John J. Randall and his partner, William G. Miller, increased their real estate acreage by filling the lowlands from canals, such as Woodcleft and Randall’s Bay.

Hotels sprung up, and Freeport became a popular destination, drawing the rich and famous to the area’s beautiful beaches and seaside activities. Entertainers found Freeport a perfect place to relax, so in the early 20th century they formed the Long Island Good Hearted Thespian Society (LIGHTS) Club and erected a world-famous clubhouse.

Along with a rich entertainment history, boating and fishing (both sport and commercial) abound here. The Nautical Mile is a working port with docks for commercial fishing boats, boat dealers, boutiques, and fabulous restaurants.

Highlights of Freeport:
•   All of the profits from the sales of the book are being donated to the Freeport Historical Society.
•   The majority of the images were found in the archives of the society, and were donated over the last 50 years by Freeporters.
•   There are a number of historical markers in Freeport, but the buildings have disappeared.  The photographs in this book give readers a glimpse of what they once were.

Cynthia J. Krieg and Regina G. Feeney are both librarians at the Freeport Memorial Library. Krieg, the village historian, and Feeney, an archivist, drew on the vast collection of photographs from the Freeport Historical Society that document Freeport up to World War II.

Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or
(888)-313-2665.  

Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States.  Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places.  Have we done a book on your town?  Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com.

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With more than 7,500 local history titles published to date, Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Widely recognized sepia books feature hundreds of vintage historical images.